Author's Note: Ok, Stella's gone to Providence to find her friend. Here's a peek at the other team. Oh, and I must apologize. Annie speaks Spanish... and I don't... I'm only using a translator... So, I hope thats ok!

Old Friends

Providence, Rhode Island

Crime Lab

Friday 27th March 2007

"Excuse me?" Stella asked coming up to a red head in a lab coat.

The girl looked up from the file she had been reading, "Yes?" A rich Irish accent rung out as she answered.

"I'm looking for Detective Taylor," Stella replied.

The red head thought for a moment, "She has court this morning," She glanced at her watch, "But should be back in about ten minutes if you're Ok with waiting, Miss...?"

"Bonasera. Detective Stella Bonasera."

"I'm Nevé Patricks, you can wait over there if you'd like," She said pointing at some seats, "I've got to get these results to Chris, but she should be here soon... Providing all goes well in court."

Stella smiled, "Thank You," she replied. Stella watched as the woman headed off down the hall. She went and took a seat where she had directed and waited.

CSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NYCSI:NY

Three women walked down the hall, the women in the center, a tall blond women spoke, "I was so sure I had left chauvinistic, pig-headed, arrogant judges behind in New York."

The shorter woman on her right laughed, "Yeah right Alex. I learned that the hard way when I moved here."

"Annie, I warned you when you moved here, and I warned you Alex," the third woman said.

Alex and Annie muttered something about her being right. The three headed straight to Annie's office, but were intercepted on the way by a wolf whistle.

"Hey, I never knew I worked with Charlie's Angels!"

The three stopped and Annie glared at the offender, "Chris!" Annie growled.

"Yeah Boss?"

"Don't you have some work to be doing?"

He nodded, then held up his kit, "New scene, same MO as the Park Hanger."

"Another?" The brunette Homicide Detective asked.

Chris nodded, "It brings the count to ten I believe Detective Ellis."

Alex Cabott sighed, "When you guys catch this monster, I don't think I'll have a hard time convincing a jury... people are scared."

The three cops nodded, "Agreed," Stephanie Ellis replied.

"Ok, then get outta here." Chris nodded and headed off in a hurry. Annie shook her head as they entered her office, "I swear, some of the people I work with never left puberty..."

Stephanie laughed, "I know what you mean, you've seen the guys at the precinct. Anyway, I'd love to stay and chat, but my Captain is ready to blow a gasket, so, I'll see you both later. I need to get out of this skirt... Ugh... I'll be in the Locker room..." As Stephanie walked out, Nevé rushed in.

Annie looked at the lab tech, "Yes?"

"Two things, here are the lab results you asked for this morning," she handed over a few manila folders, "And there's someone here to see you."

While they were talking, Stella had seen the gathering in the office and had stood up to see. From the office, if Annie looked up, she would be able to see Stella.

"Who?" Annie asked.

Nevé thought, "Ehm... A Detective Bona..."

"Bonasera," Annie cut her off looking over the girl's shoulder to the woman standing outside her office. She would recognize that head of curls anywhere. She sighed to herself, "Stella..."

Alex looked at Nevé, then back at Annie, "I've got to be getting back to my office, "I'll catch you later Detective."

Annie nodded and was about to speak when her youngest CSI came in. Nevé excused herself saying she had some more evidence to run.

"Boss, I just got a call, there's a DOA at the station."

"Grab Steph, she's in the Locker room and handle it."

"Me? With only Steph?" The girl asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes Dani, I said you and Detective Ellis. Now go."

The young CSI grinned and headed out to find their resident Homicide Detective. Now alone, Annie switched from her blazer to her lab coat, somewhat taking her time, trying to avoid the upcoming conversation with Stella. With nothing left to do to avoid the inevitable, Annie went to the door and greeted Stella.

"Stella!"

"Angela, it's been a long time..."

Annie motioned for Stella to come into the office. She watched the New Yorker momentarily as she sat on the couch that occupied the corner. She sighed then sat beside her, "So... What brings you to Providence?" Annie asked, though she already suspected the answer.

"You," was Stella's simple reply.

Annie nodded, "How did you eh... find me?"

"Lindsay Monroe..." At this Annie nodded again, but Stella continued not allowing her to speak, "She was attacked at a scene, lost her bracelet and asked me to help find it. I recognized it instantly and asked her where she got it. Then she told me about you."

"She Ok?"

Stella nodded, "Yeah. Why Ange? If Mac sees that..."

"Stel, Look around, this ain't New York. It brought me quite a bit of luck there and Lindsay was scared about the move. And Mac... he'll just have to deal with it, Ok. Maybe I wouldn't have given it to Linds if he'd returned any of my calls."

At this Stella looked confused, "Mac said after you disappeared he never heard from you."

"That's bull, I called him at home, work, his cell, nada from him. I left messages for him to call me, gave him my number. I never heard from him," Angela looked at Stella, "I tried, after I got everything back together, I tried Stel... But he kept ignoring me. And I'd go to New York, but I'm too busy here."

"Understaffed... Lindsay told me... Also told me you turned her down for a job."

Angela looked at Stella, "Look around, would you want to leave a small town lab, looking for a better chance just to wind up here? When she told me about the job in New York, I couldn't let her pass that up. Not for here."

"Well, she's been great. The team has really taken to her."

Annie smiled, "That's great." Just then, the phone on her desk started to ring, Annie looked at Stella, "Excuse me." Getting up she answered the phone, "Taylor."

Stella occupied herself by watching the woman in front of her. She was a lot like Mac, even if she wouldn't admit it. She sounded like him too, when answering the phone. They had that same determination in their voices and even got the same look across their faces.

"You sure it's the same?" Stella watched as Annie held the phone to her ear by her shoulder, allowing her to grab a pen and write things down, "Got it... Yeah, I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Thanks Jack." She hung up the phone and looked apologetically at Stella, "I'm so sorry, but I've got to go..."

Stella stood up, "I could help..."

A look of relief flooded over Annie's face, "You would? I mean, if it's not too much trouble... Mac would probably flip..."

"Forget about Mac, I'll take care of him, now, come on."

Annie shrugged off her lab coat and grabbed her blazer again, leading Stella to a store room, "Those there are spare kits," She said pointing at a group of plain kits, while she grabbed one with a name tag, stating 'Café Haba

"Café Haba?" Stella asked.

Annie laughed, "Oh... That... Yeah, here when a CSI graduates from Rookie or comes out of the newbie phase, they get a nickname... started long before my time. But my addiction to Coffee was noted early on, now I'm stuck with 'Coffee Bean' as my nickname and because I speak Spanish they thought they would be funny..."

Stella grabbed a kit from the shelf noticing it had a tag, "Think someone put theres in the wrong place."

"Oh?"

"Polo?"

Annie sighed sadly, "No... It's not wrong. Marco... or as we called him, 'Polo', died four months ago... No one wanted to be the one to clear his kit..."

Stella placed it back and grabbed another, "Ok, let's go."